By Nick Mulvenney

Now he begins the unenviable task of trying to match or even better his 2011 season on Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old world number one, who is also the Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion, began last season with a 41-match winning streak that included his run to a second title at Melbourne Park.

After beating Andy Murray in emphatic style in the final, Djokovic won 10 tournaments in total, including five Masters titles, and banked $12.6 million in prize money.

His opponent on Tuesday is unheralded Italian Paolo Lorenzi and there seems little chance of Djokovic becoming the first defending men's champion to bow out in the first round since Boris Becker in 1997.

Serena Williams also begins her campaign on the second day of the tournament, seeded only 12th after playing just twice in five months but second favorite behind Petra Kvitova with the bookmakers.

Williams opens her bid for a sixth Australian Open title against Austrian Tamira Paszek in the final match on Rod Laver Arena while Czech second seed Kvitova opens the day on the same court against Russian Vera Dushevina.

Local hopes in the women's draw rest largely with Sam Stosur and dealing with the huge weight of expectation is likely to be more of a problem for the U.S. Open champion than Sorana Cirstea of Romania in their first-round tie.

Men's fourth seed Murray, a well beaten finalist for the past two years, faces American teenager Ryan Harrison in his opening match, while his equivalent in the women's draw, Maria Sharapova, takes on Gisela Dulko.

(Editing by John Mehaffey)